Published: Friday, October 12, 2012 at 3:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 12, 2012 at 6:38 p.m.

BRADENTON BEACH - Bradenton Beach police have agreed to reopen their investigation into the death of Sheena Lee Morris, ruled a suicide four years ago.

A special agent from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be assisting the small, island police force with 15 recommended steps for shoring up the investigation.

The additional work on the case includes lab tests that will be conducted by FDLE technicians, and possibly more interviews of people involved.

Morris' mother, Kelly Osborn, waged a tireless campaign to get authorities to take a second look. She is convinced her daughter was murdered.

Osborn met with Police Chief Sam Speciale for an hour Friday — a meeting she described as “very cordial.”

“It was a long conversation. I'm trying to fully understand all Chief Speciale explained,” Osborn said. “If things had been handled appropriately, I wouldn't be going through this for that last four years. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel.”

Morris, 22, was found hanging from a dog leash in the shower stall of a Bradenton Beach hotel room on New Year's Day 2009. Her feet were caked with sand and debris, yet there was none in the shower stall or on the bathroom floor. Forensic experts who reviewed the case for Osborn said it appeared Morris was carried into the shower.

In addition, phone calls and texts Morris made prior to her death indicate she was angry, not depressed or suicidal. She had quarreled that night with her fiance, and hotel guests in an adjoining room had called 911 about 2 a.m. to report a disturbance.

Speciale said Friday that the controversial case will be “administratively reopened.” The 15 recommendations were delivered to the department Friday from a panel of police experts, which met last month to study the investigation.

Speciale said he did not know immediately whether more witness interviews would be conducted.

“I haven't gone through all the recommendations, but if one of the recommendations is to re-interview, then we will,” Speciale said. “They're not major, very reasonable recommendations.”

Speciale said the addition of the FDLE special agent was a mutual decision between himself and FDLE.

Osborn did not trust that conclusion and has pushed to get another another agency, such as FDLE, to step in.

The 5-foot, 98-pound Osborn says that at first, Bradenton Beach officials, including Speciale, underestimated her and hoped she would tire and go away.

“It took me two years before Chief Speciale would meet with me or return a phone call,” she said Friday. “They never took me seriously.”

During her four-year quest, Osborn started a website, retained forensic experts and spent thousands of dollars on private investigators.

Osborn views news that her daughter's case will be reopened as a victory, despite the chief's characterization of it as “administrative.”

“I feel that it's being re-investigated. That's how I feel,” Osborn said. “I understand what he's explaining, but in my eyes, reopening the case is re-investigating.”

Speciale said once the investigation is complete, he will submit the case back to FDLE to “make sure they're satisfied.”

Afterward, it will be sent to the State Attorney's Office for review.

“Depending on what happens, if we need to reopen it, we will. If they agree, we'll close it,” he said. “We always go to the State Attorney's Office in case they find evidence to show us a crime has been committed.”

<p><em>BRADENTON BEACH</em> - Bradenton Beach police have agreed to reopen their investigation into the death of Sheena Lee Morris, ruled a suicide four years ago.</p><p>A special agent from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be assisting the small, island police force with 15 recommended steps for shoring up the investigation.</p><p>The additional work on the case includes lab tests that will be conducted by FDLE technicians, and possibly more interviews of people involved.</p><p>Morris' mother, Kelly Osborn, waged a tireless campaign to get authorities to take a second look. She is convinced her daughter was murdered.</p><p>Osborn met with Police Chief Sam Speciale for an hour Friday — a meeting she described as “very cordial.”</p><p>“It was a long conversation. I'm trying to fully understand all Chief Speciale explained,” Osborn said. “If things had been handled appropriately, I wouldn't be going through this for that last four years. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel.”</p><p>Morris, 22, was found hanging from a dog leash in the shower stall of a Bradenton Beach hotel room on New Year's Day 2009. Her feet were caked with sand and debris, yet there was none in the shower stall or on the bathroom floor. Forensic experts who reviewed the case for Osborn said it appeared Morris was carried into the shower.</p><p>In addition, phone calls and texts Morris made prior to her death indicate she was angry, not depressed or suicidal. She had quarreled that night with her fiance, and hotel guests in an adjoining room had called 911 about 2 a.m. to report a disturbance.</p><p>Speciale said Friday that the controversial case will be “administratively reopened.” The 15 recommendations were delivered to the department Friday from a panel of police experts, which met last month to study the investigation.</p><p>Speciale said he did not know immediately whether more witness interviews would be conducted.</p><p>“I haven't gone through all the recommendations, but if one of the recommendations is to re-interview, then we will,” Speciale said. “They're not major, very reasonable recommendations.” </p><p>Speciale said the addition of the FDLE special agent was a mutual decision between himself and FDLE.</p><p>The initial investigation was quick, with Bradenton Beach Police Detective Lenard Diaz concluding that Morris killed herself.</p><p>Osborn did not trust that conclusion and has pushed to get another another agency, such as FDLE, to step in.</p><p>The 5-foot, 98-pound Osborn says that at first, Bradenton Beach officials, including Speciale, underestimated her and hoped she would tire and go away.</p><p>“It took me two years before Chief Speciale would meet with me or return a phone call,” she said Friday. “They never took me seriously.”</p><p>During her four-year quest, Osborn started a website, retained forensic experts and spent thousands of dollars on private investigators. </p><p>Osborn views news that her daughter's case will be reopened as a victory, despite the chief's characterization of it as “administrative.”</p><p>“I feel that it's being re-investigated. That's how I feel,” Osborn said. “I understand what he's explaining, but in my eyes, reopening the case is re-investigating.”</p><p>Speciale said once the investigation is complete, he will submit the case back to FDLE to “make sure they're satisfied.”</p><p>Afterward, it will be sent to the State Attorney's Office for review.</p><p>“Depending on what happens, if we need to reopen it, we will. If they agree, we'll close it,” he said. “We always go to the State Attorney's Office in case they find evidence to show us a crime has been committed.”</p>